Never Forget
by risen truth ruthless lies
Summary: Who is Izuna, and who is Madara? What bonds did they have, with each other, and others? They are watched over, by each other, and those around them. But no one loved Madara more than Izuna, and no one loved Izuna more than Madara. With a pained heart, Hashirama watches, and Tobirama tries to protect them all. In his own way. Brotherlove, no Incest.


_**"Please, never forget me."**_

* * *

"Nii-san!"

Madara opened his eyes, slowly sitting up on his bed looking into the stretching darkness. A small shadow darted to his side, knocking his sleep-dazed form back into the bed.

"Izuna? What's wrong?"

The small boy was shivering, biting his lip as he hid his face into his older brother's chest. Madara felt the icy claws of fear claw their way into his chest, giving his heart a painful squeeze. Something had terrified his brother, to the point of seeking him out.

"Nii-san….nightmares…."

With that, Madara's body slowly uncoiled, the crimson sharingan melting away. Leaving warm, ebony black in its place. Gently he moved watching as Izuna clung to him, his eyelashes wet with barely restrained tears.

He was still but a boy.

"Izuna….it's okay. Nii-san will protect you."

Izuna cringed, before letting out a small, pitiful cry. Tears began to stream down his rounded face with no restraint, and Madara knew Izuna was scared. He was scared of the blood soaked earth, the dying corpses that will never leave their minds.

Forever engraved because of the sharingan. A blessing and a curse.

His little brother was still too young, but he all ready knew. He understood war, its sacrifices; it's lost, its pain, the agony that would forever leave a burning hole in their chests. Madara was all he had left as a brother.

"I will never let you go."

Madara whispered, wrapping his arms around Izuna's distressed body. Izuna did not move, only latching onto his brother the moonshine reflecting over them both. The shadows dared not to step into the path the moon had shone for her children.

**_XX_**

This was truly the end. Izuna did not scream, the only sign that pain had registered being the stunned expression in his face. Madara's agonized howl swept over the land, freezing those who previously had gone for their opponent's throat.

"_**Izuna!" **_

Uchiha and Senju stood still, watching the fierce protection that radiated off the Uchiha leader, the dark shifting glint that never seemed to die in his eyes, suddenly dimmed, an emotion, that many never thought they would see in the man.

Because Izuna, their Izuna, had been hurt. He could not stand without the aid of his brother, and it felt as though a very sudden cold had descended upon the Uchiha. As though their bodies were layered in ice, frost clinging to their precious eyes.

Because the strike had been fatal.

This, Hashirama knew. Madara knew, and Tobirama knew it all too well. It was why he had struck, the moment the opening had presented itself. Maybe now, maybe Madara would stop playing the fool.

"Madara, you can't win….maybe we should.."

Hashirama gave pause, before continuing on.

"Put an end to all of this."

They could, no one would oppose if….he just had to make Madara understand, understand that they could do this. He only needed to accept, if he did, he knew he could heal Izuna. He knew they could make their dream come to life!

"If the two mightiest clans, the Uchiha and the Senju, were to join hands….every neighboring country would see how futile it was to challenge us. Eventually the fighting would cease…."

Hashirama offered his hand, dark brown eyes moving, thriving on the other's response. His friend, his closest friend aside from his only brother. He had to just….just….

"Think about it…"

For a moment, Hashirama swore, he saw Madara's face take on a turn of conflicted confusion. He wanted to, so badly. But something would always hold him back, whether it be his own paranoia….

"Brother don't…don't let his pretty words deceive you."

Or that of another. The cold that was upon the Uchiha, suddenly spread to all who stood in the fields. Tobirama's chest twisted, he had failed. Had failed his brother, and somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew he had failed Izuna as well.

Because Izuna wasn't going to survive. That was why he struck, he had foolishly believed Izuna would not have the pride which plagued the Uchiha. He had thought….and had been so wrong.

Because he could see it in Izuna's face, in Madara's movements as his hand produced a small handful of smoke bombs. Tobirama knew, that Izuna had resigned himself to his fate.

A sharp pain sunk its way into him, because this was his first mistake. His mistake which would make certain his brother would never be happy. Because he knew that Madara would never forget.

**_XX_**

"He isn't going to make it….the strike was too fierce, too fast."

That was what the medics had told Madara, the grief shining brightly in their dark eyes. They were all ready grieving. Madara cursed, a sound choking him from within, stuck in the back of his throat. No matter what he did it would not dislodge.

The strike had hit his rib-cage far too quickly, with too much power. Only one man could save him, and yet Izuna insisted he did not. Even with blood staining his lips, dressed in his white clothing, he still smiled.

"I'll never let you go."

Izuna whispered, his hand tight over Madara's own which clenched tightly in return. Madara's bitten lip bled red, vision blurring with tears that had not struck him since many years before.

"I've failed you, Izuna…..Izuna I'm sorry…I can't…we don't have the…"

"I know."

Izuna's voice was swift, and gentle. Like a stray breeze, which could suddenly turn sharp like a stray knife. Madara's eyes widened, Izuna's fingers sinking into his own sockets, removing his precious, last gift.

"Izuna! No! I_…..I can't!"_

Izuna still wore his smile.

"You are my Nii-san….I want you to live. I want you to see, your vision clear. Your heart to be strong, make your dream come to life, whatever you want. Make it so."

Madara's confusion, his hurt and sudden void, they dragged him down. Like heavy chains, his eyes flooded with water, as the medics took Izuna away from him. The surgery would be placed after Izuna had…

A growled escaped Madara's throat.

**_"You will not take him from me!"_**

Wisely, they backed down from the furious elder brother, watching with mourning, pitying eyes as he returned to Izuna's room. White bandages covered Izuna's now empty sockets, and when Madara held him close, hugging him as though he were a lifeline, he told him the truth.

"I love you….Nii-san…..please. Please be happy."

It was in this position they stayed, Madara's face stained with tears, and Izuna smiling to keep his brother from breaking once and for all. Smiling despite the pain he felt, despite that he would never see his precious Nii-san again.

The dawn's light crept into the room, as the moon gave her final farewell to one of her precious sons down upon the earth.

_"I love you….I will never let you go."_

Izuna's voice was soft, barely a whisper. His arms loose around his brother, and his body grew colder. Izuna had died, and with his death, Madara's heart went with him. For whom would he protect now? For whom would he fight for? His clan?

The surgery happened, and Izuna was not buried until after Madara could see once more. Memories played, over and over. Madara could do nothing to stop them, watching as his brother was placed into a white coffin. A white yukata, his eyes bound with white. The only red being the Uchiha symbol hung behind his head.

Perhaps….this was what was best. For he was safe, and no one could hurt him any longer. This, Madara only wished could be done while Izuna lived. For why did his brother have to die? Why?

So Izuna watched, unseen, unheard. He would forever remain tied to his brother, watching through Madara's eyes. Izuna would be there, listening, unable to reach out, to comfort him when he woke, shaking and crying out, his voice raw with emotion from a horrible nightmare.

A nightmare, which unfortunately, was his reality. But Izuna knew this, he knew so long as his brother lived, he would love him. Even if Madara could not feel his touch, nor hear his words, Izuna would be there.

He would be furious when the Uchiha abandoned him.

He would be there, listening to every comment which struck Madara to his core.

He would be there, loving and gentle, when his Nii-san woke, crying.

He would be there, when Hashirama cut him down, livid that Hashirama had been blinded by the elders. Enraged that Hashirama did not see what Madara so desperately wanted to be seen.

He would be there, many years later, when Madara finally passed.

Izuna was there, throughout every last thing. He was there to scold Madara, when he finally could hear him. Izuna loved, scolded, ranted, raged and loved one more over his Nii-san.

Because despite Madara's vow to protect Izuna, Izuna had promised to follow Madara. To love and protect. To cherish. Because that was who Izuna was, no matter what history said.

He was Uchiha Izuna, younger brother of Uchiha Madara.

And he was perfectly happy with such a thing.

_"I love you Nii-san."_

And Madara cried, despite being dead. For he knew now, could see and feel what Izuna had seen, had felt. Izuna had never left him, never thought ill of him…..it was like a beautiful dream.

A dream which shattered, when he was brought to the living once more. Izuna's soul bound with him, Madara knew what he had to do. For now, yes, he would go with his act.

But in the end, he would see Izuna. Because Izuna loved him, and would never betray him.

_Never second-best._

* * *

**Author's note**: Inspired by Taylor swift's safe and sound. There** IS** symbolism though only a few.

Izuna's white death, the coffin, cloth and clothing. I believe Madara thought Izuna innocent, despite growing up as he had. The red from the Uchiha was a symbol that if the clans had stopped, then maybe Izuna wouldn't have needed to die at all.

The moon? We don't know about their mother, but I think they would rather like the night in comparison to the day, hence the moon watching over them. Like a mother would, but again, we don't know their mother, so I used the moon instead.

For any confusion with Tobirama, I believe he respected Izuna on some level. I hope I was able to capture their personalities, and tangle them in the right way.


End file.
